Highlights

Swiss-based Studer Innotec is launching a battery inverter which brings the advantages of the off-grid space to grid-tied installations in Europe. In this interview, Pierre-Olivier Moix, chief technology officer and board member at Studer Innotec, explains the differences to a standard energy home system, and some possible applications.

The levelized cost of solar electricity generation from a given rooftop area is the lowest in India (US$66/MWh) and China ($68/MWh), with the USA ($238/MWh) and UK ($251/MWh) representing some of the costliest countries, according to an international study based on data available as of 2018. The study also finds China (4.3 PWh/year), USA (4.2 PWh/year), and India (1.7 PWh/year) have the highest yearly potential of rooftop solar energy generation.

Parity in the total cost of ownership already exists for electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers (with subsidy) vis-à-vis their internal combustion engine counterparts. Policy impetus, coupled with the production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for batteries and auto components (exclusively covering EVs), is likely to further reduce costs and accelerate the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The transition will also open up the market for new-age companies and innovators across the value chain.

India has seen substantial activity in the domestic battery storage and green hydrogen markets, from the entry of Reliance and Acme Solar in green hydrogen to gigawatt-scale battery storage tenders by NTPC and the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI). There are more private ventures in the offing, indicating the government’s policy push is in the right direction.  

PV manufacturing giant Trina Solar says it has agreed with other industry players on a set of standard dimensions and other technical specifications for PV modules utilizing 210mm wafers – the largest currently available on the market. The manufacturer says it expects the China Photovoltaic Industry Association to formally release the standard before the end of October.

The floating solar plant, located at Meghadrigedda reservoir in Visakhapatnam, occupies 0.005 sq. km out of 5 sq.km of the reservoir area.  

A report from Australia’s Future Battery Industries Cooperative Research Centre which analysed the development of battery hubs in the U.S., Germany and Japan, has found that co-location and cooperation between industry and government were key to their success. For Australia to play the same game, it will have to leverage its wealth of resources, and clean up its act along the way.

State-owned coal miner The Singareni Collieries Company Limited has invited bids from project management consultants for its 250 MWp DC floating solar power plant in Telangana. The selection will be made through domestic competitive bidding followed by reverse auction.

A robust distributed renewable energy ecosystem with a strong domestic industry will help provide good-quality, reliable electricity to rural households and enterprises and thus turbocharge green entrepreneurship—paving the way for a self-reliant India.

The renewable energy arm of NTPC seeks to enter into sourcing partnerships with Indian manufacturers for 15 GW of solar modules over the next five years. Manufacturers planning to set up their facilities in the next six months under the production-linked incentive (PLI) Scheme of the government of India are also eligible to apply.